This week, we investigate the links between heart failure and obesity. We explore what heart failure is, the risks, and how it can have long-term impacts on health. We also look into obesity, some of it's causes, and how it can contribute to heart failure risks. We also look at he two-way street between heart failure and obesty and how each can contribute to the other in a feedback loop, and what may be done to break it.

References:

Upadhyay, J., Farr, O., Perakakis, N., Ghaly, W., & Mantzoros, C. (2018). Obesity as a disease. Medical Clinics, 102(1), 13-33. https://www.medical.theclinics.com/article/S0025-7125(17)30128-1/abstract

Groenewegen, A., Rutten, F. H., Mosterd, A., & Hoes, A. W. (2020). Epidemiology of heart failure. European journal of heart failure, 22(8), 1342-1356. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejhf.1858

Alpert, M. A., Lavie, C. J., Agrawal, H., Aggarwal, K. B., & Kumar, S. A. (2014). Obesity and heart failure: epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and management. Translational Research, 164(4), 345-356. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1931524414001340

Kenchaiah, S., Evans, J. C., Levy, D., Wilson, P. W., Benjamin, E. J., Larson, M. G., ... & Vasan, R. S. (2002). Obesity and the risk of heart failure. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(5), 305-313. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa020245

Horwich, T. B., Fonarow, G. C., & Clark, A. L. (2018). Obesity and the obesity paradox in heart failure. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 61(2), 151-156. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062018300951?via=ihub

Ebong, I. A., Goff Jr, D. C., Rodriguez, C. J., Chen, H., & Bertoni, A. G. (2014). Mechanisms of heart failure in obesity. Obesity research & clinical practice, 8(6), e540-e548. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871403X1300224X

Oreopoulos, A., Padwal, R., Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Fonarow, G. C., Norris, C. M., & McAlister, F. A. (2008). Body mass index and mortality in heart failure: a meta-analysis. American heart journal, 156(1), 13-22. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002870308001543

Mahajan, R., Stokes, M., Elliott, A., Munawar, D. A., Khokhar, K. B., Thiyagarajah, A., ... & Sanders, P. F(2020). Complex interaction of obesity, intentional weight loss and heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart, 106(1), 58-68. https://www.proquest.com/docview/23482079

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common cause of primary liver cancer. Curative treatments include surgery and transplant, but many patients don't know they have the disease until it's too late. In this week's article, we explore what HCC is, risks and complications of the disease, and what people can do to find out if they have signs of the HCC before it spreads too far.

References:

Koren, M.J. & Kapila, N. (Hosts). (2025). The liver: Common causes of complications, cirrhosis, and cancer. [Podcast Episode]. In MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. MedEvidence. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1926091/episodes/17268919

El-Serag, H. B., & Davila, J. A. (2011). Surveillance for HepatoCellular Carcinoma: in whom and how?. Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology, 4(1), 5-10. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1756283X10385964

Siegel, R. L., Kratzer, T. B., Giaquinto, A. N., Sung, H., & Jemal, A. (2025). Cancer statistics, 2025. Ca, 75(1), 10. https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21871

Benson, A. B., D’Angelica, M. I., Abbott, D. E., Anaya, D. A., Anders, R., Are, C., ... & Darlow, S. D. (2021). Hepatobiliary cancers, version 2.2021, NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 19(5), 541-565. https://jnccn.org/view/journals/jnccn/19/5/article-p541.xml

Heimbach, J. K., Kulik, L. M., Finn, R. S., Sirlin, C. B., Abecassis, M. M., Roberts, L. R., ... & Marrero, J. A. (2018). AASLD guidelines for the treatment of HepatoCellular Carcinoma. Hepatology, 67(1), 358-380.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28130846/

Singal, A. G., Mittal, S., Yerokun, O. A., Ahn, C., Marrero, J. A., Yopp, A. C., ... & Scaglione, S. J. (2017). HepatoCellular Carcinoma screening associated with early tumor detection and improved survival among patients with cirrhosis in the US. The American journal of medicine, 130(9), 1099-1106. https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(17)30128-6/fulltext

Llovet, J. M., Pinyol, R., Kelley, R. K., El-Khoueiry, A., Reeves, H. L., Wang, X. W., ... & Villanueva, A. (2022). Molecular pathogenesis and systemic therapies for HepatoCellular Carcinoma. Nature cancer, 3(4), 386-401. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-022-00357-2

Hanahan, D., & Weinberg, R. A. (2000). The hallmarks of cancer. Cell, 100(1), 57-70.https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(00)81683-9

Nathani, P., Gopal, P., Rich, N., Yopp, A., Yokoo, T., John, B., ... & Singal, A. G. (2021). HepatoCellular Carcinoma tumour volume doubling time: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gut, 70(2), 401-407. https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/2/401.abstract

In this week's episode, we look into the history of Hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus spread far and wide during the era before modern sterilization and screening, infecting millions. We look into the history, risks, symptoms (many have none!), and complications of hepatitis C. Finally, we look at how far treatment has progressed and what's coming up on the horizon.

References:

Khalili, M., & Burman, B. (2014). Liver disease. In Hammer, G. D., & McPhee, S. J. (Eds.). Pathophysiology Of Disease An Introduction To Clinical Medicine (7th ed., pp. 385-425). McGraw-Hill Education.https://archive.org/details/PathophysiologyOfDiseaseAnIntroductionToClinicalMedicine7thEdPDFtahir99VRG/page/410/mode/1up?view=theater

Shiffman, M. (Ed.). (2012).  Chronic Hepatitis C Virus: Advances in Treatment, Promise for the Future. Springer Science+Business Media. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1192-5_1 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4614-1192-5

Koren, M.J. & Kapila, N. (Hosts). (2025). The liver: Common causes of complications, cirrhosis, and cancer. [Podcast Episode]. In MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. MedEvidence. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1926091/episodes/17268919

Rosen, H. R. (2011). Chronic hepatitis C infection. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(25), 2429-2438. https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMcp1006613

Oancea, C. N., Butaru, A. E., Streba, C. T., Pirici, D., Rogoveanu, I., Diculescu, M. M., & Gheonea, D. I. (2021). Global hepatitis C elimination: history, evolution, revolutionary changes and barriers to overcome. Romanian Journal of Morphology and Embryology, 61(3), 643. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8112794/

Good, S. S., Luo, S., Lin, K., Vo, A., Agrawal, N. G., & Sommadossi, J. P. (2025). Bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir in combination exhibit potent synergistic antiviral activity in vitro while maintaining a favorable nonclinical safety profile in vivo. Antiviral Research, 237, 106137. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354225000634

In this episode, we delve into the science and struggle behind social anxiety disorder. This condition affects millions of people and often begins in childhood. We explore how the brain’s fear circuitry becomes overactive, and common treatments like SSRIs. We also highlight an intriguing new treatment being tested: a nasal spray of pheromone-like compounds aimed at calming fear responses.

References:

Leichsenring, F., & Leweke, F. (2017). Social anxiety disorder. New England Journal of Medicine, 376(23), 2255-2264. https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMcp1614701

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Social anxiety disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). 

Stein, D. J., Lim, C. C., Roest, A. M., De Jonge, P., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A., ... & WHO World Mental Health Survey Collaborators. (2017). The cross-national epidemiology of social anxiety disorder: Data from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. BMC medicine, 15, 1-21. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12916-017-0889-2

Grant, B. F., Hasin, D. S., Blanco, C., Stinson, F. S., Chou, S. P., Goldstein, R. B., ... & Huang, B. (2005). The epidemiology of social anxiety disorder in the United States: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(11), 1351-1361. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16420070/

Fox, A. S., & Kalin, N. H. (2014). A translational neuroscience approach to understanding the development of social anxiety disorder and its pathophysiology. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(11), 1162-1173. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14040449

Stein, M. B., & Andrews, A. M. (2015). Serotonin states and social anxiety. JAMA psychiatry, 72(8), 845-847. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2319710

Williams, T., McCaul, M., Schwarzer, G., Cipriani, A., Stein, D. J., & Ipser, J. (2020). Pharmacological treatments for social anxiety disorder in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Acta Neuropsychiatrica, 32(4), 169-176. https://doi.org/10.1017/neu.2020.6

Kaminski, R. M., Marini, H., Ortinski, P. I., Vicini, S., & Rogawski, M. A. (2006). The pheromone androstenol (5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol) is a neurosteroid positive modulator of GABAA receptors. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 317(2), 694-703. https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/article/S0022-3565(24)32659-X/abstract

Liebowitz, M. R., Salman, E., Nicolini, H., Rosenthal, N., Hanover, R., & Monti, L. (2014). Effect of an acute intranasal aerosol dose of PH94B on social and performance anxiety in women with social anxiety disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(6), 675-682. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24700254/

Monti-Bloch, L., Jennings-White, C., Dolberg, D. S., & Berliner, D. L. (1994). The human vomeronasal system. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 19(5-7), 673-686. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0306453094900493

In this episode, we explore the complex world of gastroparesis. Gastroparesis is a condition that slows the stomach’s ability to empty food and turns mealtime into a daily challenge. From the science behind digestion to the symptoms, causes, and evolving treatments for idiopathic gastroparesis, we break down what happens when the stomach stops cooperating. Learn how this disorder affects quality of life and what new therapies would look like to help people enjoy food again without the side effects.

References:

Parkman, H. P., Jacobs, M. R., Mishra, A., Hurdle, J. A., Sachdeva, P., Gaughan, J. P., & Krynetskiy, E. (2011). Domperidone treatment for gastroparesis: demographic and pharmacogenetic characterization of clinical efficacy and side-effects. Digestive diseases and sciences, 56, 115-124. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10620-010-1472-2

Hasler, W. L. (2011). Gastroparesis: pathogenesis, diagnosis and management. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 8(8), 438-453. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrgastro.2011.116

Bielefeldt, K. (2012). Gastroparesis: concepts, controversies, and challenges. Scientifica, 2012(1), 424802. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.6064/2012/424802

Syed, A. R., Wolfe, M. M., & Calles-Escandon, J. (2020). Epidemiology and diagnosis of gastroparesis in the United States: a population-based study. Journal of clinical gastroenterology, 54(1), 50-54. https://journals.lww.com/jcge/fulltext/2020/01000/advances_in_helicobacter_pylori_therapy.9.aspx

Lee, A., & Kuo, B. (2010). Metoclopramide in the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. Expert review of endocrinology & metabolism, 5(5), 653-662. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/eem.10.41

Puoti, M. G., Assa, A., Benninga, M., Broekaert, I. J., Carpi, F. J. M., Deganello Saccomani, M., ... & Borrelli, O. (2023). Drugs in focus: domperidone. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, 77(2), e13-e22 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1097/MPG.0000000000003822

Scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, once killed thousands of sailors during long sea voyages. The breakthrough came in 1747 when Dr. James Lind conducted the first recorded clinical trial, proving citrus fruits could prevent the illness. British sailors were later issued lime juice, earning them the nickname “limeys.” Though now considered offensive by some, the term reflects an important medical milestone and the early use of evidence-based treatment. 

References:

Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Limey. In Oxford English dictionary. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from https://www.oed.com/dictionary/limey_n

Chandler, A.T. (1888) Coaching the Coach. In  Sladen, B.A. (Ed.), Australian ballads and rhymes: Poems inspired by life and scenery in Australia and New Zealand. (pp. 31-34). Walter Scott. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from  https://archive.org/details/australianballad00slad/page/30/

Price, C. (14 August, 2017). The age of scurvy. Distillations magazine. Science History Institute Museum & Library. [Website] Accessed 14 April, 2025, at https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-age-of-scurvy/

Amisha, F. N. U., Ghanta, S. N., Kumar, A., Fugere, T., Malik, P., Kakadia, S., ... & Kakadia, S. (2022). Scurvy in the modern world: Extinct or not?. Cureus, 14(2). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8958866/

Cook, J., & Price, A. G. (1971). The explorations of Captain James Cook in the Pacific, as told by selections of his own journals, 1768-1779. (pp. 7, 129, 192) Courier Corporation.

Lind, J. (1753). A treatise of the scurvy: in three parts, containing an inquiry into the nature, causes, and cure, of that disease, together with a critical and chronological view of what has been published on the subject. Bulletin of the World Health Organization: the Internationa

This week we explore tinnitus, a condition marked by ringing in the ears. Tinnitus is affects roughly 10% of Americans and remains poorly understood. Unfortunately, this poor understanding means there are no disease-modifying treatments available. Luckily, clinical researchers have been hard at work looking for relief for tinnitus sufferers, and there are some symptomatic treatments. Listen in to find out what tinnitus is, risks and complications, and some ways you may be able to find relief.

References:

Bhatt, J. M., Lin, H. W., & Bhattacharyya, N. (2016). Prevalence, severity, exposures, and treatment patterns of tinnitus in the United States. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 142(10), 959-965. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2533660

Shargorodsky, J., Curhan, G. C., & Farwell, W. R. (2010). Prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus among US adults. The American journal of medicine, 123(8), 711-718. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30073285/

Makar, S. K. (2021). Etiology and pathophysiology of tinnitus: a systematic review. The International Tinnitus Journal, 25(1), 76-86. https://www.tinnitusjournal.com/articles/etiology-and-pathophysiology-of-tinnitus--a-systematic-review-16383.html

Dalrymple, S. N., Lewis, S. H., & Philman, S. (2021). Tinnitus: diagnosis and management. American family physician, 103(11), 663-671. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2021/0601/p663.html

Shore, S. E., & Wu, C. (2019). Mechanisms of noise-induced tinnitus: insights from cellular studies. Neuron, 103(1), 8-20. https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(19)30433-7

Staecker, H., Morelock, M., Kramer, T., Chrbolka, P., Ahn, J. H., & Meyer, T. (2017). Safety of repeated-dose intratympanic injections with AM-101 in acute inner ear tinnitus. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 157(3), 478-487. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28608739/

National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). ClinicalTrials.gov. U.S.Department of Health and Human Services. [Website. Accessed 24 March, 2024]. https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?cond=Tinnitus&aggFilters=results:with,status:com&locStr=United%20States&country=United%20States

Beukes, E. W., Andersson, G., & Manchaiah, V. (2021). Patient uptake, experiences, and process evaluation of a randomized controlled trial of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for tinnitus in the United States. Frontiers in medicine, 8, 771646. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.771646/full

Conlon, B., Hamilton, C., Meade, E., Leong, S. L., O Connor, C., Langguth, B., ... & Lim, H. H. (2022). Different bimodal neuromodulation settings reduce tinnitus symptoms in a large randomized trial. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-18. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13875-x

In this week's episode, we jump into the emerging field of personalized cancer vaccines. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death worldwide due to its complex nature. "Cancer" actually encompasses over 275 diseases, each driven by genetic mutations that make cancer cells act independently and harmfully within the body. Find out how scientists are using genetics to identify unique targets for individual people's cancers and using these targets to train our own immune system using cancer vacines.

References:

Hassanpour, S. H., & Dehghani, M. (2017). Review of cancer from perspective of molecular. Journal of cancer research and practice, 4(4), 127-129. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2311300617300125

Hanahan, D., & Weinberg, R. A. (2000). The hallmarks of cancer. Cell, 100(1), 57-70. https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0092-8674%2800%2981683-9

National Cancer Institute. (n.d.) Types of cancer treatment. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. [Website]. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types

Iwasaki, A., & Omer, S. B. (2020). Why and how vaccines work. Cell, 183(2), 290-295.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7560117/

Xie, N., Shen, G., Gao, W., Huang, Z., Huang, C., & Fu, L. (2023). Neoantigens: promising targets for cancer therapy. Signal transduction and targeted therapy, 8(1), 9. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-01270-x

Braun, D. A., Moranzoni, G., Chea, V., McGregor, B. A., Blass, E., Tu, C. R., ... & Choueiri, T. K. (2025). A neoantigen vaccine generates antitumour immunity in renal cell carcinoma. Nature, 639,474–482 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08507-5

In this week's episode, we talk about vascular dementia, a significant yet often overlooked brain disorder caused by reduced blood flow, usually due to stroke and/or vascular disease. It accounts for 15-20% of dementia cases and leads to cognitive decline, memory loss, and motor impairments. While no cure exists, prevention is key—controlling risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing the disease. Research suggests that physical fitness offers strong protective benefits, and some Alzheimer’s medications may provide limited relief. Continued clinical trials are essential in the search for effective treatments, emphasizing the need for more participation in medical research to safeguard brain health. Listen to learn all about vascular dementia.

References:

Mossanen Parsi, M., Duval, C., & Ariëns, R. A. (2021). Vascular dementia and crosstalk between the complement and coagulation systems. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 8, 803169. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8733168/

Venkat, P., Chopp, M., & Chen, J. (2015). Models and mechanisms of vascular dementia. Experimental neurology, 272, 97-108. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4631710/

Skrobot, O. A., O'Brien, J., Black, S., Chen, C., DeCarli, C., Erkinjuntti, T., ... & Ben‐Shlomo, Y. (2017). The vascular impairment of cognition classification consensus study. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 13(6), 624-633. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27960092/

Pendlebury, S. T., & Rothwell, P. M. (2019). Incidence and prevalence of dementia associated with transient ischaemic attack and stroke: analysis of the population-based Oxford Vascular Study. The Lancet Neurology, 18(3), 248-258. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6390174/

Farooq, M. U., Min, J., Goshgarian, C., & Gorelick, P. B. (2017). Pharmacotherapy for vascular cognitive impairment. CNS drugs, 31(9), 759-776. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40263-017-0459-3

Hörder, H., Johansson, L., Guo, X., Grimby, G., Kern, S., Östling, S., & Skoog, I. (2018). Midlife cardiovascular fitness and dementia: a 44-year longitudinal population study in women. Neurology, 90(15), e1298-e1305. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005290

Measles a highly contagious virus that can cause serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and death. It was declared eradicated in the U.S. in the year 2000 but has resurfaced, with over 700 cases reported so far this year. What are the causes of this latest outbreak? Despite a long history of vaccine success, recent declines in MMR vaccination rates have made populations vulnerable again. Historically, vaccination efforts drastically reduced measles cases, but global travel and misinformation now threaten that progress. Listen now to find out the facts, history, and factors contributing to the currentmeasles outbreak in the U.S.

References:

Centers for Disease Control. (9 May, 2024). History of measles. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [website, accessed 8 April, 2025]  https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/history.html

Center for Disease Control. (4 April, 2025). Measles cases and outbreaks. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [Website, accessed 8 April, 2025] https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html

Park, G. Y. S., & Tishkowski, K. (2021). Paramyxovirus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567794/

Centers for Disease Control. (15 July, 2024). Clinical overview of measles. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [website, accessed 8 April, 2025] https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html

Berche, P. (2022). History of measles. La Presse Médicale, 51(3), 104149. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0755498222000422